Martin Scorsese’s Silence gets funding; will shoot this month

Despite being one of the most prestigious and respected directors working today, Martin Scorsese still finds difficulty in getting financial backing for each project. But it’s no surprise that his next film, Silence, struggled to find funding: set in the 17th century and concerning two Jesuit priests who travel to Japan to spread the word of Christianity, it will most likely face some backlash when released thanks to its religious nature. But it’s going ahead anyway: Scorsese has just completed full funding for Silence, thanks to both SharpSword Films and Fábrica de Cine, and is due to shoot this very month. With a cast boasting Liam Neeson, Adam Driver, Andrew Garfield and Tadanobu Asano, production will begin on January 30, although we won’t see the film until some time in 2016. In a statement to Deadline, the 72 year-old director said:

‘I’ve wanted to make Silence for almost two decades, and it is finally a reality. It is heartening to have adventurous partners like Fabrica and SharpSword to work with on this picture.’

The last time Scorsese released a directly religious picture, it was 1988’s polarising The Last Temptation of Christ. Will Silence have the same mixed reception in this day and age?